And Don't Wake Up Until You're Asleep
by Taisi
Summary: Open your eyes to dream, Satoshi, and close them to wake up. I know it doesn't make sense now, but...you'll see. You'll love it. I had this software developed just for you, and everything will be perfect. So go to sleep, okay? -Slight ShiShi.


A/N: Just a little drabble that's been on my mind for forever. ShiShi is adorable, so that's in here too--not enough to make non-fans go "Ewww," but enough to make _fans _go "Awww..." I'm a little disappointed because I know I can write better than this, but...oh, well...I might rewrite this someday...but for now, here it is.

_And Don't Wake Up Until You're Asleep_

"Pikachu," he called, glancing around himself at the trees. "Pi-ka-chu! It's time for bed!" He frowned helplessly when no response seemed forthcoming, and was ready to turn to Brock for assistance when a familiar weight dropped onto his head from a tree bough above him. The bill of his hat fell over his eyes and he laughed, reaching up instinctively to steady the Pokèmon; it rubbed against his hand affectionately and leapt to his shoulder so he could right his hat. "You get better at that every time," he told the creature confidingly, headed back to clearing where his friends were waiting.

"Oh, good, you found it," Misty said at once, relieved. "It's gonna get itself lost one of these days."

"I don't think that's possible," Brock countered easily, a grin on his face. "Pikachu's the smartest of its kind I've ever seen." Pikachu seemed to enjoy the compliment and Ash ruffled its ears as he settled into his sleeping bag. Misty smiled and bid them goodnight as Brock leaned over and poured river water over the fire, dousing it as his companions drifted off to sleep.

Pikachu snuggled up next to Ash's face, and he fell asleep with a smile.

* * *

_The system beeped and went off as the boy's eyes opened blearily. The room was dim, sunlight filtering through the curtains at the window and he started to sit up, but didn't manage to get halfway up before he winced. _

_The door opened and an alarmed voice called out, "Satoshi!" He barely had time to glance over before the speaker was at his bedside, arms going around him carefully to ease him upright. The spiky-haired brunet sat next to him on the bed, giving him a once-over, eyes full of concern. "You shouldn't move around first thing when you wake up, you could hurt yourself without even realizing it."_

_"I know," he said quietly, leaning gratefully against the other boy with a sigh that seemed to take everything out of him. "I'm sorry." Fingers carded gently through his hair, and he knew all was forgiven. Exhausted and comfortable, he muttered, "I had another strange dream."_

_"Oh?" _

_"Yes...I was with another boy, and a girl--and there were those interesting creatures, the ones like animals with the special powers...The little yellow one played with me again. It...It was Pika... Pikachu. And we had battles, and camped in the forest--and there were little bug-like things that flew around and lit up and it was cold but really nice, Shigeru..."_

_Shigeru smiled tenderly at him. "Really? Sounds like a lot of fun."_

_Satoshi smiled. "It was. It was a lot of fun, Shige...Shigeru..." He yawned, eyelids drooping. The brown of his eyes was dull with fatigue. Shigeru's smile faded as he took him in; so pale and sick and hardly there at all. Tightening his arms around the smaller boy as much as he dared (would he break?) he said, "How about you get some more sleep, Satoshi? I'll be right here when you wake up." He felt Satoshi nod against him, and his breathing even out. _

_Shigeru stood, laying Satoshi down carefully and pulling the blankets up to his chin and tucking him in. He heard the soft whirring of machines and glanced down at the wires lacing the baseboards of the room. Tiny lights twinkled here and there, and Satoshi shifted slightly. _

_Good, Shigeru thought. The system was still working without a flaw; and it should, he'd paid those engineers more than was decent to make sure it was absolutely perfect._

_Because if his Satoshi was too sick to go outside--too sick to breathe in fresh air, lay in the grass, walk in the rain--he would make sure the boy's dreams were, at least, worthwhile. _

* * *

"Ash! Aaaashhh, wake _up!_Come on, sleepyhead," a girl's laughing voice called from some distance. His eyes opened fractionally, and he raised a hand automatically to shield them from the bright sunlight. The campsite was, for the most part, packed up; Brock was rolling his sleeping bag up, and their Pokemon were eating breakfast in a big group. Pikachu was still with him, though, snuggled up against him, apparently content to wait for him to get up first.

He shifted it, smiling and petting it gently. "Go get something to eat, buddy," he told it.

"What's up, Ash?" Brock asked him as Ash slowly set to packing his things up. "You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine..." The boy's eyes were confused. "It's just...I had another weird dream..."

.

End.

A/N: You can decide what was real.


End file.
